Tag: natural healing

A Note On Tolerance

Each person has a different tolerance for cannabis oil. What this means is that different people can take different quantities without it effecting them. Some people have a high tolerance and feel little to no affects as they increase their dosage whereas other people have incredibly low tolerances and a very little amount of cannabis oil can have powerful physical and psychological affects on them. Each person is different, but it’s best to always start small and work your way up.

Important Note for First Time Users

Often the first time we use the oil it has zero effect on us. This is because our cannabinoid receptors are not yet open to receive the cannabinoids and so the first time you use it, it has no noticeable effect. That is not to say it is having no effect at all – it’s opening the pathways and making it possible for you to absorb the THC and CBD’s the next time.

Please DO NOT TAKE EXTRA OIL THE SECOND NIGHT thinking that you didn’t take enough the first night. Many people make this mistake and it results in unpleasant symptoms. Do not increase your dosage until the third night and only if you feel you can.

So, what does taking the oil feel like?

Most people take between 45 minutes and an hour to feel the full effects of the oil. It can come on gradually for some people whereas for others it can feel quite sudden

A general feeling of well-being and happiness. Some people experience a very deep and real sense of euphoria

Increased thirst – this is due to the detoxification process so make sure you drink WATER not sugary sodas!

A feeling of drowsiness and extreme relaxation

Feeling a bit detached from your body

Increased flow of thoughts and ideas

Increased hunger

How do you know when you’ve had too much?

When first establishing your correct dosage it can be very easy to take too much by mistake – if you experience any of the below symptoms then you need to reduce your dosage the following evening.

If you feel any of the following symmptoms you know you’ve taken too much:

Nausea and possibly vomiting

Dry mouth and insatiable thirst

Dizzy, a feeling of looseness in the body, very unstable and unbalanced

Paranoia – a very real sense of fear or foreboding

Anxiety attack – feeling that you are dying/having a heart attack/stroke

Hallucinations – very rare but possible

Rapid heart-rate – it feels like its beating out of your chest

What should you do if you’ve taken too much?

It’s important to remember that no one has ever died from too much cannabis so CALM DOWN you are going to be fine.

If you have whole peppercorns available, put two or three in your mouth and suck on them – they are high in CBD’s which help balance out the effects of the THC.

Take a big glass of water with you and go lie down until you feel better- it will pass in a few hours.

If you have to get up to go to the toilet or fetch more water remember to use the wall for balance or ask someone to help you – don’t underestimate how dizzy you might feel -this is especially important for frail and older people who can’t afford to fall and hurt themselves.

For people who suffer from the effects of paranoia or anxiety, it might be best to phone a trusted friend and not be alone during this time. Paranoia is a powerful psychological reaction that plays on your fears and insecurities and although it won’t physically harm you, it can be very unpleasant to have to go through alone. The same thing applies for anxiety attacks and hallucinations. In these cases, go to bed as soon as you can and try to sleep through it.

Delicious, refreshing and infused with 100 mg of THC, this is no ordinary fruit juice!

These delightfully elevating drinkables are called Bottom’s Up and are brought to you by Black Weed Nation, a Proudly South African venture,with two delicious tropical flavours: Mango Orange and Strawberry Lemonade.

The Mango Orange is delicious and sweet but you can still taste the cannabis a little. The Strawberry Lemonade is fun and bitter sweet – it reminded me of those sours sweets- with only a very subtle hint of the cannabis flavour coming through. I enjoyed both and found them both to be equally enjoyable.

Each beverage is imbued with a secret blend of five different cannabis strains – a balance of Indica’s and Sativa’s to give you both a head and body high and they use only full plant extracts so you also get all the benefits of the entourage effect. The creators use only organically grown cannabis, so although perfect for recreational use, these drinks are so packed full of goodness that they double-up as super immune boosters!

“although perfect for recreational use,

these drinks are so packed full

of goodness that they double-up

as super immune boosters!”

“We started marketing them as a recreational drink until someone who had bronchitis for over a month drank a bottle of Bottoms Up for three days and was cured,” says Black Weed Nation’s, Blitz, “We then realized that 100 mg+ THC in the drinks was the key to introducing South Africa to cannabis oil in a friendly, non-intrusive and attractive way.”

If you are using it to strengthen your immune system, Blitz suggests you get comfy and sip on your Bottom’s Up throughout the day and allow yourself to relax, rest and heal. “It’s also much easier to drink juice with such a yummy taste than it is to swallow FECO (Full Extract Cannabis Oil)”, said Blitz, “so now we have sick people ordering it to keep in their fridges and are sipping as they go.”

For recreational purposes, Blitzrecommends experienced cannabis users drink the whole bottle in one go, (Bottom’s Up!) however for novices, he recommends three sips and then wait 20 minutes before continuing, “The delivery system into the blood stream is efficient and more effective than anything smoked and does not give you that pukey feeling that give you if you consume too much edibles.”

“Oh, and you will get the munchies big time!”

And he wasn’t lying!

Both my hubby and I partook of the juices to see if it would affect us differently. After about half an hour we both felt the affects start coming in. The strength of the high increased in waves for about another half an hour, stepping up both in intensity and enjoyment. Hubby and I spent the afternoon feeling extremely chilled on the couch together while we cried laughing to old movies we Netflixed and stuffed ourselves with everything we could lay our hands on. It was a great way to spend a Sunday!

“You become a porn star

with no inhibitions”

Also of Special Note, Blitz tells me, is its abilities in the bedroom, “You become a porn star with no inhibitions…and all your pleasure hormones in the body flow freely, think multiple orgasms and heightened sensitivity. It’s hard to describe until both of you drink the drinkables together – you may even end up breaking the bed. Its that good.”

So, if you’re in the mood for a fun, lifted day or if you need to strengthen your body or beat the flu, Bottom’s Up provides all the goodness of cannabis without any of the unpleasant bitter taste.

“We have basically created a premium product to compete against the best indoor, moonrocks or dab available. Drink a bottle of Bottoms UP and see for yourself”

Fortunately Bottom’s Up also comes in a reusable swing-top bottle that is child proof, so you won’t have any accidents!

If you like the sound of these awesome products, then you’ll love that Black Weed Nation are also launching a cannabis infused ice cream range this Spring!

You can follow this innovative and exciting company on Instagram @blackweednation.

Curious about what a cannabis cooking class might look like? Take a quick peak at South Africa’s first cannabis cooking class….

It wasn’t your average Wednesday evening for six brave residents of the Dolphin Coast. They were off to a clandestine cooking class at a secret location.

Usually, when attending a cooking class, worrying about the police arriving unexpectedly is not a big concern. However, when that cooking class is teaching you how to learn the basics to safely and effectively make your own cannabis oils, it suddenly becomes a factor.

Of the group of six class members – five were women. Two of the ladies admitted that their husbands had wanted to attend but were too scared of the police to come – these six souls were brave indeed!

For this reason, I kept the location of the class a secret and only revealed it to the members just before the day of the class. I wasn’t really expecting the cops to come banging down the door to our illicit class, but I prefer to err on the side of caution to be safe.

I deliberately kept the class small to keep the atmosphere relaxed and to ensure everyone had a chance to ask questions.

The aim of the class was to equip each person with the knowledge and skill to comfortaby make and use cannabis concentrate oil (FECO/RSO) and cannabis infused coconut oil. These are the basics when it comes to using cannabis as medicine or in food. With these two basic skills these people would be well on their way to effectively self-medicate and begin their journeys towards superior health.

The evening was fun, informative and uneventful -no blue lights and screaming sirens, instead we laughed, we shared, we learned. And by the end of the class there were six more people in the world capable of making their own cannabis oil and infusions…

If you’d like to find out more about the next cooking class click here

And if you’re curious what a cannabis cooking class looks like….here’s a brief break down of the evening in pictures….

1.

Class started with a quick introduction and an update on where we stand regarding the law and cannabis. Then we moved on to decarboxylation: what, why, when and how.

2.

Making RSO/FECO

Although the alcohol looks sufficiently strained it still needs to be put through a coffee filter to take off the fine plant material and dust.

3.

Demonstrating what the oil looks like once almost all the alcohol has boiled off.

4.

Once all the alcohol is completely boiled off, it’s time to store it correctly. Everyone got to go home with their own ml of RSO/FECO!

5.

Making Cannabis Infused Coconut Oil

Straining off the coconut oil after pre-infusing the cannabis overnight.

6.

Voila! Once the cannabis infused coconut oil was strained and drained, it was poured into 50 ml containers for class members to take home and try for themselves. It’s that easy.

7.

Explaining individual tolerance and how to safely dose yourself and others….

…Then there were six more people in the world able to make their own cannabis oils and infusions.

For the recipe to make your own cannabis infused coconut oil click here

Cannabis topicals are gaining in popularity – from anti-anging to healing sores and easing pain – and all without getting high!

I have been looking for the perfect cannabalm for sometime now – mostly to keep my skin moisturised, heal environmental damage and also to use as a preventative for skin cancer and other skin issues.

Benefits of Cannabis Infused Balms

It should come as no surprise to anyone that cannabis possess skin-healing benefits. Known for it’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-aging properties, it’s quickly becoming one the more popular treatments for eczema and other skin issues.

Because cannabinoid receptors are located all throughout the skin, CBD has the capability of interacting with those receptors to encourage homeostasis and healing.

Topicals are applied right to trouble areas so that the cannabis can work directly where it is needed. Although the cannabis can still be absorbed into your blood stream through your skin, it bypasses the liver and so you don’t get the psychoactive side-effects associated with orally ingested forms of treatment.

Finding the Perfect Cannabis Balm

Finding a well made cannabis balm in South Africa is easier said than done. There are balms, don’t get me wrong but too often they are made with cheaper ingredients or the consistency of the balm changes drastically with the heat.

So, when I discovered CannaMeds make a balm using all natural, organic ingredients and biodegradable packaging, I was over the moon. Rich and smooth with a delicate cannabis scent, I couldn’t wait to try it.

Organic, biodegdradable with Vegan-friendly options – What’s not to love?

Beautifully packaged in a biodegradable tin, CannaMeds ensures everything about their products is organic from ‘soil to oil’. The cannabis they use is carefully grown organically and indoors so as not to be exposed to potential pollutants.

One of the aspects I appreciate most is their attention to detail – they even carefully monitor how much heat is applied when making their products so that their customers can experience the full spectrum of healing properties offered by the cannabis plant by ensuring that none of these properties are accidentally burnt off. I love a company that goes to such great lengths to ensure we truly get the best of the best!

When you use their balm you can actually feel the care that has been taken in making their products. From the beautiful, biodegradable packaging to the decadent softness of the balm – this product does not disappoint!

CannaMeds also offers vegan options – using GMO-free soy way rather than honey. They also make tinctures and coconut oil infused capsules.

Moisturising and healing

Unlike many natural balms, the CannaMeds Healing Balm is soft in texture making it easy to apply. It was quickly absorbed into my skin, leaving it genuinely silky and smooth to the touch However, unlike with synthetic creams, my skin remained soft and moisturized for hours after.

This makes using the Healing Balm on my face a pleasure – it leaves my skin feeling satin-soft and revitalised but without the usual oily sheen that accompanies many natural balms.

When we get sick the first thing we are told is to “eat more greens”. as it turns out chlorophyll, which is responsible for making plants green, also contains powerful healing properties.

Cannabis and Chlorophyll

When it comes to cannabis there’s a lot of noise about CBD’s and THC but one of the most powerful healing properties in cannabis seems to get overlooked – Chlorophyll.

Chlorophyll is responsible for the green colour in the leaves and because there is so much chlorophyll in cannabis, the plant is very, very green.

When it comes to cooking with cannabis, many people try to take the chlorophyll out because of aesthetics and flavour but I would argue that this is a mistake. Here’s why…

Reb Blood Cells: Chlorophyll is crucial in aiding with the restoring and replenishing of red blood cells, but, most importantly, it has the ability to regenerate our body. This is because haemoglobin and chlorophyll have similar structures. The main difference is that haemoglobin is built around iron whereas chlorophyll is built around magnesium. The primary function of haemoglobin is to transport oxygen from the lungs to other parts of the body

Chlorophyll is also rich in live-enzymes which help in the cleansing of the blood and which, again, enhances the ability of the blood to carry more oxygen.

Vitamins & Minerals: As it turns out, chlorophyll is an excellent source of vitamins such as vitamin A, C, E and K as well as beta carotene. It’s also a powerful antioxidant and provides you with vital minerals such as magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium and essential fatty acids.

Magnesium is also responsible for the green colour. The magnesium, which is the central molecule of chlorophyll, contains a special ring shaped formation which captures wavelengths of light. However, green is not captured and so the colour green is reflected back to our eye.

Magnesium is also known to provide a high alkalising effect on the body and delivers oxygen to body tissues and cells.

Spotting A Trend…It’s Oxygen!

Oxygen is vital to our health and to our survival. I once went 40 days without eating any food and I was fine but find me a few minutes into a sever asthma attack and I’m turning blue and literally feeing the life ebb out of me. Oxygen is crucial for life and without it we die pretty quickly.

Every single cell in our bodies requires oxygen. Our cells are energized by oxygen in order for regeneration to happen. Oxygen is required for food motabilisation as well as the elimination of toxins and waste through the process of oxidation.

Our brain needs oxygen continually to process information and in order for our organs to function efficiently they need loads of oxygen. Basically everything that we take for granted: thinking, moving, eating, sleeping, feeling and talking, are all entirely dependant on oxygen for the energy to facilitate these processes.

In fact, oxygen is the only element that is capable of combining with just about every other element to basically build and maintain our bodies.

When your immune system is compromised by a lack of oxygen, you are more susceptible to bacterial, viral infections, colds and flu. Oxygen-deficient blood presents itself with a variety of metabolic disorders, most recognizable by excess uric acid which makes your body acidic rather than alkaline. Oxygen protects you against unfriendly bacteria and toxins and will help your body cleanse them from your system while keeping your body alkaline.

Oxygen has been used in a myriad of ways to heal. It is used to treat the sick and injured, it treats bone infections, wounds, carbon-monoxide poisoning, decompression sickness and now the sports field has opened its eyes to increasing oxygen levels to treat athletes.

Increased oxygen has been shown to heal cancers and reduce inflammation. When your body has enough oxygen you feel energised and motivated.

Cannabis, Chlorophyll and Oxygen

So, we know that chlorophyll helps the body to maximize it’s oxygen intake and we know that cannabis has loads and loads of chlorophyll – it’s one of the most abundant properties found in this amazing plant. So, when you make oil and it comes out so green that it looks black – this is good! This is not only THC and CBD’s but a rich source of powerful, healing, oxygen creating chlorophyll.

So next time you cook with cannabis and everything goes a light shade of green, don’t despair, rejoice because the green is an integral part of the healing experience. The more chlorophyll you eat, the more oxygen your body is able to convert into your blood and the healthier you become. With oxygen-rich blood you are able to fight off disease effectively and you are able to heal more quickly.

If you have access to the fresh plant, then eating it raw is always best . Any heat begins to destroy or change vital nutrients so juicing the leaves or eating them in a salad regularly will provide you with the most long term benefits.

Of course, the chlorophyll is not limited to the concentrate oil – if you are growing for yourself, then eat the leaves (yes really!). Eating green plants raw is always best so if you have access to the fresh plant – use it!

It seems to me that the more I look into the cannabis plant, the more amazing it becomes and when it comes down to it, it’s best to keep it green!